Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what is this fuss about the common candidate?”
“I didn’t know there was a common candidate...” Bindu’s father Percy said.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “everyone is talking about this common candidate...”
“So,” Percy asked, “who is he?”
“That is the mystery, thaaththa,” Bindu explained, “no one seems to know who he is...”
“To begin with, is there a common candidate?” Percy inquired.
“Why do you say that, thaththa?” Bindu was surprised.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy explained, “we are not even certain as to whether there will be an election for a common candidate to contest...”
“How can you say that?” Bindu countered, “elections have to be held soon, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Percy agreed, “general elections have to be held next year but there is no such requirement for a presidential election...”
“So, what are you suggesting?” Bindu demanded.
“Why, Bindu, “Percy pointed out, “Mahinda maama can easily continue for another two years without any election...”
“What will happen then?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Well,” Percy observed, “then all this talk of a common candidate will mean nothing...”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu protested, “everyone in Mahinda maama’s party wants to have the presidential election first...”
“I think what matters is not what everyone wants,” Percy said, “but what Mahinda maama wants to do...”
“But, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “assuming that there will be a presidential election, who do you think will be the common candidate?”
“I am not so sure about that...” Percy said, “because different people have different opinions...”
“Why do you say that” Bindu asked, “I thought everyone knew who the common candidate would be...”
“And who are you thinking of?” Percy demanded.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “doesn’t everyone expect the General to be the common candidate?”
“Has the General himself said so?” Percy queried.
“Not yet,” Bindu conceded, “but everyone is expecting him to...”
“And why is that?” Percy asked.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “why would he suddenly resign from the Army, then?”
“I am not so sure about that,” Percy conceded, “but don’t forget that becoming the common candidate is not an easy task...”
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu inquired.
“Why, he will have to be the unifying factor among the Greens, the Reds and the breakaway faction of the Blues...” Percy pointed out.
“Why is that so difficult?” Bindu wondered.
“Look, Bindu,” Percy said, “already they are pulling in different directions...”
“Why,” Bindu asked, “what are they saying?”
“Well,” Percy explained, “the Greens have said they will be imposing some conditions...”
“And what are these conditions?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Well,” Percy recalled, “they want the executive presidency abolished and they also want the Green man appointed the Prime Minister...” “What are the Reds saying?” Bindu asked.
“At least,” Percy said, “they are not making demands about the premiership but they too want the executive presidency abolished...”
“And what about the breakaway faction of the Blues,” Bindu demanded, “what do they want?”“I am not so sure whether they themselves know what they want,” Percy observed, “but they have said there are nine potential common candidates...”
“That is interesting,” Bindu declared, “common candidates seem to be very common...”
“In fact,” Percy said, “for a common candidate to be successful, he would have to be quite uncommon, Bindu...”
“Why do you say that, thaaththa?” Bindu wondered.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy explained, “all this talk of a common candidate comes from one factor...”
“What factor is that?” Bindu was curious.
“Why, everyone is willing to support a ‘common’ candidate only because they all want the executive presidency abolished after this ‘common’ candidate gets elected...”
“What is so unusual about that?” Bindu asked.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy remembered, “have you forgotten what has happened in the past?”
“What has the past got to do with this common candidate?” Bindu was puzzled.
“Why, Bindu,” Percy pointed out, “we have had two candidates in the past who promised to abolish the executive presidency, first Satellite and then Mahinda maama...”
“I suppose that is true...” Bindu agreed.
“But none of them did so,” Percy observed, “and now we have another common candidate who is promising to abolish the executive presidency...”
“So, what about him?” Bindu asked.
“So,” Percy declared, “it would be quite uncommon if this common candidate wins and then keeps his promise and abolishes his own job...”
Bindu knew there was some truth in that.